Election 2012: Who will Mitt Romney choose as running mate?

Thursday

May 17, 2012 at 12:01 AMMay 17, 2012 at 5:12 PM

With Mitt Romney closing in on the number of delegates needed to secure the Republican presidential nomination, talk is turning to who he will select as his running mate. And while dozens of names have been thrown around as possibilities, the discussion always seems to end up at these five names.

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Staff reports

With Mitt Romney closing in on the number of delegates needed to secure the Republican presidential nomination, talk is turning to who he will select as his running mate. And while dozens of names have been thrown around as possibilities, the discussion always seems to end up at these five names. Here's a look at them:

Marco Rubio, United States Senator, Florida
Birthdate: May 28, 1971
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Education: University of Florida, B.A.; University of Miami, J.D.
Political highlights: Assumed Senate office Jan. 3, 2011; Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, 2007 to 2009; member of the Florida House of Representatives, 2000 to 2009.
Spouse: Jeanette Dousdebes
Quick note: Rubio, a freshman senator and the son of Cuban immigrants, is a rising GOP star representing Florida, a swing state. He is a favorite among conservatives and could help sway Hispanic voters. He has ruled himself out, saying, "I'm not going to be the vice president."
More on Rubio

Chris Christie, governor, New Jersey
Birthdate: Sept. 6, 1962
Hometown: Newark, N.J.
Education: University of Delaware, B.A.; Seton Hall University, J.D.
Political highlights: Took governor's office in January 2010; served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2008.
Spouse: Mary Pat Foster
Quick note: Christie ended all speculation about his own White House aspirations in October, when he declared "now is not my time" to run for president. Would he run in the No. 2 spot? He has been New Jersey's governor only since 2010, but has cut the budget and curtailed public sector unions. He has been combative with the Democratic legislature and has a reputation for bluntness.
More on Christie

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Kelly Ayotte, United States Senator, New Hampshire
Birthdate: June 27, 1968
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
Education: Penn State University, B.A.; Villanova University School of Law, J.D.
Political highlights: Assumed Senate office on Jan. 3, 2011; served as New Hampshire Attorney General from 2004 to 2009.
Spouse: Joseph Daley
Quick note: Before being elected senator, Ayotte served as the state's attorney general, but some argue she isn't experienced enough to be in the White House. Yet she countered on a recent episode of NBC's "Meet the Press" that she's more qualified than Barack Obama was four years ago.
More on Ayotte

Rob Portman, United States Senator, Ohio
Birthdate: Dec. 19, 1955
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Education: Dartmouth College, B.A.; University of Michigan, J.D.
Political highlights: Assumed Senate office on Jan. 3, 2011; served as director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2006 to 2007; member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005.
Spouse: Jane Portman
Quick note: Portman is a former White House budget director under George W. Bush, a U.S. trade representative and member of Congress representing Ohio. Portman was an early Romney supporter. Picking Portman as a running mate could swing Ohio into the GOP column.
More on Portman

Tim Pawlenty, former governor, Minnesota
Birthdate: Nov. 27, 1960
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minn.
Education: University of Minnesota
Political highlights: Served as 39th governor of Minnesota from 2003 to 2011; Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003.
Spouse: Mary Anderson
Quick note: Pawlenty's own White House bid flamed out when he bet his future on the Ames, Iowa, straw poll and lost. As for accepting the No. 2 spot, he has said, "I've taken myself off the list." Pawlenty's blue-collar roots could help Romney forge a connection with working-class voters.
More on Pawlenty

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